The quantity of adipocytes has a direct impact on the levels of obesity,and the apoptotic factors of preadipocytes are also related to adipositas.The apoptosis of preadipocytes is influenced by many genes and other factors.Findings in the studies on the apoptosis of preadipocytes and its influencing factors have contributed a lot to the researches on obesity and many other diseases.

OBJECTIVETo establish a characterization system of traditional Chinese medicinal properties in line with modern scientific cognition regularity, in order to reveal properties of traditional Chinese medicines distributed along liver meridian and relations of effects of medicinal properties.

METHODBy collecting data about traditional Chinese medicinal properties recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2005 Edition), literature and data about pharmacological effects of traditional Chinese medicines recorded in the Chinese Materia Medica, by using the method of association rules, the authors dug pharmacological effect rules corresponds to relevant medicinal property combinations, with the medicinal property combination of traditional Chinese medicines distributed along liver meridian as the target.

RESULTIt was found that either obvious different pharmacological effects or identical pharmacological characteristics existed in traditional Chinese medicines distributed along liver meridian.

CONCLUSIONWith the aim to explore the correlations between traditional Chinese medicine medicinal properties and pharmacological effects, the authors linked the traditional Chinese medicine theory with modern research achievements, in order to provide the ideas and methods for interpreting mechanisms of medicinal properties.

Databases, Factual ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver ; drug effects ; Liver Diseases ; drug therapy ; Meridians

The five-flavor theory of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and the flavor efficacy generation mechanism has long been focuses and difficulties in studies on traditional Chinese medicinal properties. In this paper, by using the pharmacophore-based virtual screening technique, the authors discussed the relations between the pungent property and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) by studying the TCM components' role in regulating TRPV1 ion channel. The results showed that the matching relationship between TRPV1 agonist pharmacophore model and TCM chemical components could identify the active ingredients from pungent herbs. Therefore, the authors proposed that TRPV1 is one of the potential targets for efficient pungent herbs. The pungent property of TCMs is decided by its chemical components, and consistent with the inherited and additive characteristics.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Smell ; TRPV Cation Channels ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Taste

At present, studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) properties are mostly restricted to a single or two kinds of medicinal properties, but deviated from the holism of the theoretical system of TCMs. In this paper, the characteristics of pharmacological effects of different property combinations of TCMs distributing in the stomach meridian were take as the study objective. The data of properties of TCMs distributing in the stomach meridian was collected from the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2005). The data of pharmacological effects of TCMs distributing in the stomach meridian was collected from all of literatures recorded in Chinese Journal Full-text Database (CNKI) since 1980, Science of Chinese Materia Medica (Yan Zhenghua, People's Medical Publishing House, 2006) and Clinical Science of Chinese Materia Medica (Gao Xuemin, Zhong Gansheng, Hebei Science and Technology Publishing House, 2005). The corresponding pharmacological effects of property combinations of TCMs distributing in the stomach meridian was mined by the method of association rules. The results of the association rules were consistent with the empirical knowledge, and showed that different medicinal property combinations had respective pharmacological characteristics, including differences and similarities in pharmacological effects of different medicinal property combinations. Medicinal property combinations with identical four properties or five tastes showed similar pharmacological effects; whereas medicinal property combinations with different four properties or five tastes showed differentiated pharmacological effects. However, medicinal property combinations with different four properties or five tastes could also show similar pharmacological effects. In this study, the medicinal property theory and the pharmacological effects of TCMs were combined to reveal the main characteristics and regularity of pharmacological effects of TCMs distributing in the stomach meridian and provide a new way of thinking and method for revealing the mechanism action of TCMs distributing in the stomach meridian and discovering the pharmacological effects of TCMs distributing in the stomach meridian.
Databases, Factual ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Meridians ; Stomach ; drug effects ; Stomach Diseases ; drug therapy

The prescription combinations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on the taste and channel tropism, the Qi movement, as well as the compatibility according to multiple combination principles and medicinal property and flavor combination of several traditional Chinese medicines. With the in-depth study on the prescription compatibility, researchers have realized that the medicinal property theory is the core of TCM combinations. However, there is no definite method for combinations based on medicinal properties. In this paper, the authors put forward an method for designing prescription combinations based on bipartite graph and the greedy algorithm. With the medicinal property combinations of Siweilurong Pills for example, the authors proved this method could provide ideas for quickly choosing herbal medicines for prescription combinations, and discussed the prospect of this method in substituting previous and endangered herbal medicines and banned medicinal materials.
Algorithms ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of SilverHawk directional atherectomy for femoropopliteal occlusive lesions. MethodsEighteen ischemia occlusive lesions in 11 patients of the lower extremity were treated with SilverHawk directional atherectomy.The mean lesion number was 1.6 ± 1. 1 per patient. The mean lesion length was ( 3.4 ± 2. 2 ) cm. The average degree of diameter stenosis was 96％ ± 14％. 9 lesions were totally occlusive. Clinical symptoms included claudication in 4 cases ( Rutherford classes: 3) and critical limb ischemia ( Rutherford classes: 4) in 7 cases. Lesions characteristics were divided by TASC classification: TASC B in 7 cases; TASC C in 1 case (in-stent occlusion); TASC D in 3 cases.Mean ABI was 0. 5± 0.4. Patency was evaluated with color duplex sonography or CTA besides clinical examination during follow-up.ResultsNine totally occlusive lesions were recanalizated successfully via intraluminal approach. 18 lesions achieved technical success (residual stenosis ＜50％ ) leaving 15％ ±7％ mean residual stenosis in mean (8 ±3)min, predilation was needed in one lesion ( in-stent occlusion) prior to atherectomy. Clinical symptoms improved or disappeared with mean ABI 1.07 ±0. 12 and Rutherford grades: 0 (n =9) and 1 (n =2). Patency rate was 100％ with mean 0. 93 ± 0. 14 ABI and Rutherford grades remain unchanged after follow-up of mean ( 9 ± 4 ) monthes.ConclusionsSilverHawk directional atherectomy is safe and effective for the treatment of lower extremity ischemia.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical application of endovascular treatment for severe Takayasu's arteritis (TA).MethodsIn this study,35 target lesions in 32 patients [28 women,mean age (30 ±8) years] with severe Takayasu's arteritis were treated with endovascular merthod.The average length of lesion was 3.1 cm( range 2.7 -5.3).The overall average degree of diameter stenosis was 90％ ± 11％ (range 70- 100)in which 15 lesions were completely occlusive.There were 10 patients whose ESR were higher than 20 mm/h( range 25 -37).Follow-up included physical examination and patency evaluated by color duplex souography/computed tomography angiography/angiography at 6 months and then annually.ResultsRecanalization was unsuccessful in 3 completely occlusive lesions,with a successful rate of 80％(12/15).There was one case in which embolization leading to acute thrombogenesis developed during interventional procedure and resulting in severe stroke.The technical successful rate ( residual stenosis ＜ 50％ ) was 88.6％ ( 31/35 ).The transient cerebral ischemia attack ( TIA ) symptoms disappeared in 31 cases.26 cases were followed up for an average of (19 ± 10) months (range 13 -40).Occipital infarction following severe in-stent restenosis developed 13 months later in one case.Symptomatic in-stent restenosis18monthslaterwasfoundin2cases. Patencyratewas88.5％( 23/26 ).ConclusionsEndovascular treatment is safe and effective for severe TA.Strict indication and accurate targeting the lesions help ensure the success of management.

Objective To investigate the effects of sevoflurane delayed preconditioning on caspase recruitment domain (ARC) expression during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats. Methods Sixty-four adult male SD rats weighing 270-350 g were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n = 16 each): sham operation (group S); myocardial I/R group; sevoflurane + sham operation group (group S-S) and sevoflurane delayed preconditioning + myocardial I/R group (group S-I/R) . Myocardial I/R was induced by occlusion of anterior descending branch of left coronary artery for 30 min followed by 2 h of reperfusion in groups I/R and S-I/R. Group S-S inhaled 33% oxygen for 2 h, and sham operation was performed 24 h later. Group S-I/R inhaled 2.5% sevoflurane for 2 h, and then myocardial I/R was induced 24 h later. Eight animals were sacrificed at the end of 2 h reperfusion in each group and the hearts removed for determination of myocardial infarct size (IS) as a percentage of area at risk (AAR) by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining (IS/AAR) . Myocardial apoptosis was detected using TUNEL and apoptosis index was calculated. Another 4 animals were sacrificed immediately before ischemia and at the end of 2 h reperfusion to determine the expression of ARC and Caspase-8 in myocardium by Western blot. Results Compared with group S, the infarct size and apoptosis index were significantly increased in groups I/R and S-I/R, and ARC expression was up-regulated immediately before ischemia in groups S-S and S-I/R, and Caspase-8 expression was up-regulated at 2 h of reperfusion in group I/R ( P ＜ 0.05) . Compared with group I/R, the infarct size and apoptosis index were significantly decreased in group S-I/R, and ARC expression was up-regulated, while Caspase-8 expression was down-regulated at 2 h of reperfusion in groups S-S and S-I/R ( P ＜ 0.05) . Conclusion Sevoflurane delayed preconditioning can attenuate myocardial I/R injury through up-regulating the ARC expression and decreasing the myocardial apoptosis.

In April of 2008 water samples were collected from four different rivers,which were Wuchao gang River,Henggang River,Chaoyang River and Caoyanghuanbang River.During the sampling the physi-cal and chemical parameters were measured.The abundance and the diversity of the bacteria of these four rivers were studied.The results showed that the population level increased in the more severely polluted river while the bacterial diversity decreased;the bacterial community structure was also affected by the dif-ferent ecological conditions of each sampling spot.The bacterial composition and abundance was closely related to the water quality in the river.

Objective:To evaluate the cytotoxicity of four dentin filling materials and two dentin adhe-sives with a dentin barrier test and to compare the results with those in a conventional filter diffusion test in order to investigate the advantages of the dentin barrier test.Methods: Eugenol cement, zinc phos-phate cement, adhesive glass ionomer cement, composite resin and two self-etching adhesives ( REMI BOND and Adper Easy One) were tested.In the dentin barrier test, L929 mouse fibroblasts were three-dimensional cultured in polystyrene meshes.The dentin disks were cut from the human third molars, near the pulp and in parallel with the occlusal surface, and their permeability within the measurement area was evaluated by a hydraulic permeability device.A mesh with the cells was placed in the “pulp cavity” of the chamber and one dentin disk was put on the cell mesh and its “pulp side” was in contact with the mesh.The test materials and controls were in contact with the“occlusal side” of the dentine disks for 24 h.The cell viability was obtained with MTT assay and the results were expressed as a percentage of con-trol tissues.The Mann-Whitney U test was used to make the statistical analyses.In the filter diffusion test, after a 24 h contact between the test materials and the filters with monolayer cells, the filters were dyed and the grades of cytotoxicity were decided.Results:A mean permeability of the dentin disks near the pulp was 0.293 μL/(min· cm2· cmH2O)(1 cmH2O=0.098 kPa);In the dentin barrier test, Eu-genol cement, REMI BOND and Adper Easy One respectively reduced the cell survival rates to 82%, 63%and 54%.Other materials showed no or very low toxic reactions; In the filter diffusion test, the light-curing composite resin was moderately cytotoxic, the dental adhesive glass ionomer cement was mild-ly cytotoxic and the others were severely cytotoxic;All the six materials in the dentin barrier test had low-er cytotoxicity than in the filter diffusion test.Conclusion:The cytotoxicity of the test materials using the
dentin barrier test with three-dimensional cell cultures is lower than that in the filter diffusion test, which has good correlation with the clinical situation.